10 countries added to Channel Islands' Red Lists as new Covid-19 variant found
10 African countries have now been added to the Channel Islands' 'Red Lists' after a new variant of coronavirus was identified.
Arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Namibia all face more stringent isolation requirements on arrival into the Bailiwicks, after they were placed on the UK's Red list.
It comes after the B.1.1.529 variant was identified in the region of southern Africa, which is now being treated as a Variant Under Investigation by the UK Health Security Agency.
From 4am on Sunday 28 November, anyone travelling into both Bailiwicks from any of the above countries must quarantine in a managed hotel in the UK for ten days before onward travel to the island.
Until that point, arrivals into Jersey must take three separate PCR tests on days 1, 5 and 10, remaining in isolation until they receive a negative result from their third test.
Jersey's Chief Minister says STAC is continuing to monitor the sequencing of PCR results collected in the island for any new variants.
Meanwhile passengers arriving into Guernsey before 4am on Sunday 28 November must take a PCR test on arrival into the Bailiwick and isolate until they receive a negative result from a Day 9 test.
Those passengers hoping to travel into the Bailiwick after that point will have to self-isolate in the UK before travelling onto Guernsey, when they will be treated as 'Blue' arrivals.
Anyone who has travelled to one of the six countries now included on the red list in the past 14 days is being contacted by the island's Public Health team and asked to take a PCR test.
Guernsey's government says the measures are precautionary amid uncertainty over how the new strain may react to existing vaccines.
The changes to the rules are as follows:
JERSEY
Anyone who has recently arrived having visited the affected countries in the past 14 days should book a PCR test immediately, with a follow-up PCR test five days later.
Jersey's Chief Minister announced on Monday 29 November that anyone who has arrived from a red list country since November 12 needs to have a PCR now and one in five days time.
Arrivals BEFORE 4am on Sunday 28 November
Passengers arriving into Jersey who have visited any of the affected countries will have to take a PCR test on arrival and again on days five and ten - only being able to leave isolation when they receive a negative result from that third test.
Arrivals AFTER 4am on Sunday 28 November
Anyone arriving into Jersey after 4am on Sunday 28 November must complete ten days of self-isolation. This is to take place in a managed 'quarantine hotel' in the UK at their own cost. Only after this point will they be able to continue their onward journey to Jersey. They should complete the pre-travel registration form as normal.
These rules apply regardless of vaccination status and include passengers travelling directly into Jersey or travelling via the UK.
GUERNSEY
Anyone who has travelled to one of the six countries now included on the red list in the past 14 days is being contacted and asked to take a PCR test and should isolate until they receive their result.
Arrivals BEFORE 4am on Sunday 28 November
Passengers aged 12 and over will have to take a PCR test on the day of arrival (Day 1) and Day 9. They must self-isolate until they receive a negative result from their Day 9 test.
Children aged 11 and under will not be tested and will have to follow the same self-isolation rules as their parents/guardians.
These rules apply regardless of vaccination status and include passengers travelling directly into the Bailiwick or travelling via the UK.
Arrivals AFTER 4am on Sunday 28 November
These arrivals will not be allowed to transit through the UK and will have to complete their self-isolation period there.
After this point, they will be treated as a 'Blue Traveller' and continue onward into the Bailiwick with no further restrictions.